Health and hydration

Smartwater bottles

IT was one of the biggest trends of 2019, and the popularity of health-promoting products is likely to grow even more as we enter the 2020s.

Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager at Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) – the firm behind Glacéau Smartwater, said that the health and wellness trend has “exploded” in recent years, with consumers increasingly focused on their wellbeing.

“This is affecting the way they shop, with 40% of convenience store shoppers rating a range of healthy products as important.

“The bottled water category is worth £867.8m in the off-trade, presenting a huge sales opportunity as consumers look to refresh and rehydrate,” she said.

When it comes to merchandising, bottled water may not be the most visually exciting category, but Burgess offered advice for those retailers hoping to impress with their range.

“Retailers should capitalise on people looking to enjoy their water straight away by focusing on their chilled offering.

“Where space is available, secondary sighting is a great way to help boost sales in-store by appealing to mission shoppers by highlighting the products they need.

“Once the main display has been utilised, retailers could benefit from showcasing products in other areas,” she said.